Alexander douglas fisher



Patented Oct. ll, I898. A.'"'D. FISHER.

SKATE (Applipation filed Dec. 7, 1897.)

(N0 Model.)

. gether by rivets b UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

ALEXANDER DOUGLAS FISHER, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

SKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,028, dated October11, 1898.

Application fil d December '7, 1897. Serial No. 661,101. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER DoUo As FISHER, manufacturer, of the cityof Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skates, ofwhich'the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in skates; and the object of theinvention is to devise a light, strong, and durable skate; and itconsists, essentially, in making the blade or runner of a-thin steelheld rigid by a triangular tubular support having end shoulders againstwhich-the ends of the blade abut and upon which the weight of the footis supported, the triangular tubular support having connected to it thesubstantially conicalshaped cups for supporting the sole and heel of theboot, such cups being connected by a dovetailed slot to the triangularsupport and by a double seam to the heel and sole blades and the partsbeing soldered together in the manner hereinafter more particularlyexplained.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my preferred form of skate for generaluse. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectionth rough the blade,triangular tubularsupport, and cup and plate. Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective detailshowing the manner of attaching the front post to the triangularsupport. Fig. 4: is a plan view showing the meansof attaching the skateto the boot. Fig. 5 is a cross-section showing the fastenings. Fig. 6 isa detail of an alternative form suitable for hockey-skates.

A is the blade of the skate, which is preferably made of thinsheet-steel.

B is a triangular tubular support formed so that the apex is at thebottom and the base at the top, the continuation of the sides I) beingparallel and extending on both sides of the blade A, to which they aresoldered from end to end. The ends of the tubular support B are tapereduntil the sides meet at b above the blade, such sides being held to- Thesides I) have downwardly-extending L-shaped flanges b at each side ofthe blade, thus forming ashoulder 19*, against which the top of theblade abuts. The construction is the same at each end of the skate, andboth shoulders 19 serve to sustain the weight of the tubular supportupon the blade, thus relieving the solder on the sides 1) throughout thelength of the blade from any strain and consequent tendency to partasunder.

The top of the tubular support is preferably flat, as indicated, and hasconnected to it the conical cups 0 and .D. The sole and heel conicalcups O and D have formed at the apex thereof the dovetailed slots 0 andd, by which they are slipped onto the ends of the triangular tubularsupport and held in position, it being of course impossible, as will beunderstood from the shape shown particularly in Fig. 2, for the cones tobe withdrawn, come apart, or become loose upon the triangular support,especially as I use solder Eat the interior of the cone at each'side ofthe triangular support. The upper end of the conical cups 0 and D haveformed or spun up upon them heads 0 and cl, upon which the edges f and gof the holes f and g of the sole and'heel plates F and, G, respectively,rest. The upper edges of the conical cups 0 and D are turned over intogripping-flanges c and 01 between which and the beads c and d aregripped or held the edges of the holes f and g of the sole and heelplates F and G, respectively. By this means it will be readily seen thatthe plates F and G are secured to the conical cups 0 and D withont theuse of rivets or solder in a very rigid and secure The plates F and Gare provided with screwholes f and 9 by which they maybe secured to thebottom of the boot.

II is a toe-piece, which is made, preferably, triangular in form and hasa triangular upper end h, which is passed through a slot f in the plateF and bent over, so as to secure the upper end of the toe-piece inposition. The lower end of the toe-piece H is provided at its interiorwith a triangular plate h, having a rear upper extension h This plate 72is soldered to the fiat top of the triangular support, and as the solderis passed around to the outside of the extension 71, the lower end ofthe post is also firmly secured to the upper side of the triangulartubular support 13. 1

In Fig. 6 I show a different form of too more applicable forhockey-skates. In this form the blade A is made with the ordinaryobliquely-formed toe portion A, which is rivl eted at the top in theplate F in the usual manner. In this case the front end of the tubularsupport will be provided with a shoulder b formed by the flanges b at anincline parallel to the toe portion of the blade and the shoulderabutting the rear side of the toe portion. A rivet b is in this caseprovided, which extends directly through the blade.

In Figs. at and 5 it will be noticed that I secure the skate to the shoeby means of bolts and nuts 2 and 3. The bolts are inserted through thesole 2' of the shoe I, such bolts having very fiat heads, which sinkinto the leather of the sole, and thereby form no obstruction which willhurt the foot. The bolts 2 pass through the sole and through the holes fand g in the plates F and G and are secured in position by means of theshallow nuts 3.

The shoe I use with my skate has no heel, and it will be noticed that Imake the conical cup D much higher than the cup 0 in order to providefor this deficiency. The utility of the hollow cups will consequently beunderstood.

From the construction above described it will be readily seen that theblade is effectually prevented by the shoulders b hereinbeforedescribed, from being forced up into the triangular tubular support andthe solder is altogether relieved from any strain. All the parts aremade of steel and light andthe conical cups are securely held to thesupport, and the skate throughout is of an extremely strong and lightconstruction.

In my form of skate, also, the hollow cups in the sole and heel portionsof the skate form a cushion for the ball of the foot and the heel,whereby they are rendered much more comfortable than by the solid platesnow commonly in use, as the cords of the foot are prevented frombecomingstrained or being made sore.

That I claim as my invention is 1. In a skate, in combination a flatblade, a triangular tubular support with the flat base thereof presentedupwardly, the ends of said support being converged to provide verticalextensions formed of the vertical sides of said support, said sidesbeing bent to provide angular shoulders or seats for the upper edge ofsaid blades.

2. In combination, the blade and a triangular tubular support securedthereto, having the ends thereof converged to form vertical portions,and a fork in each vertical portion extending downwardly to provide aseat for the blade.

8. In combination, the blade, a tubular cup and the support connectingthe cups to said blades, said support being triangular in crosssectionwith the flat base thereof presented uppermost, said cups havingcorresponding slots therein to fit said support, substantially asdescribed.

4. In combination, the blade, the tubular cups and the supportconnecting the cups to said blades, said support being triangular incross-section with the flat base thereof presented uppermost, said cupshaving corresponding slots therein to fit said support, and the solderinserted between the flat sides of said support and the cups,substantially as described.

5. In combination in a skate, a runner, cylindrical heel and toe cupshaving the upper ends open and the heel and toe plates havingcorresponding openings secured to said cups, substantially as described.

6. In a skate, in combination the blade, the triangular tubular supportconnected thereto, the sole and heel plates, means for supporting themon the triangular tubular support and the toe-piece provided with a bentupper end extending through a slot in the sole-plate and having thelower end soldered to the top of the triangular tubular support and atriangular reinforcing-piece with upturned lip located within thetriangular toe-piece as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a skate, in combination, the blade, the tubular support connectedto the blade, the hollow cups connected to the tubular support andprovided at the upper end with a bead and flange, the sole and heelplates with circular openings in them having depressed flanges aroundsuch openings, such flanges being designed to fit between the upper beadof the cup and the top flange, so that such latter flange is flush withthe top of the plate as and for the purpose specified.

ALEXANDER DOUGLAS lrlSlll'llt.

\Vitnesses:

B. BOYD, A. II. MGADAM.

